The governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, has urged people to share a list of shelters that are open across the state. There are more than 130 shelters currently operating in North Carolina, most of which have been set up in schools. That list can be seen here.

The Weather Channel has put green screen to pretty extraordinary use, as they attempt to show what it could look like for people who encounter floodwater reaching nine feet, as is predicted in some areas.

The National Weather Service are reporting that, as was the case with Hurricane Harvey last year, so much rain is predicted to fall as a result of Florence that they have to use an updated colour scheme in their rainfall graphic.

Last year, so much rain fell during Hurricane Harvey, which caused catastrophic flooding across Houston, that the NWS had to update their colour charts in their graphics to map it effectively, adding a bright purple to show 20-30 inches of rainfall, and a lilac colour to indicate greater than 30 inches.

Previously, the top band of rainfall shown in their graphics was 15-20 inches, represented by a dark purple.

The NWS have said that they have been forced to use this updated colour scheme again as “Florence is forecast to bring a large area of rainfall of 20-40 inches” to both North and South Carolina. They add that the threat of catastrophic flooding from Florence cannot be overstated.

(The top image in the tweet below is forecast rainfall as a result of Florence, the bottom two images are rainfall from Harvey last year.)

It's alarming that it's become relevant again, but #Florence is forecast to bring a large area of rainfall of 20-40" to parts of NC/SC. We cannot overstate the threat of catastrophic flooding this storm will bring! pic.twitter.com/4obR151kFp

The Northeast Cape Fear river at Burgaw has a forecast crest of 24ft, which could surpass the previous record of 22.5ft.

The Cape Fear river at Elizabethtown has a forecast crest of 29.6ft, and flooding is also expected at the Waccamaw river in Pireway, though the amount there is still unknown.

The forecast crest is 19.2ft for the Lumber river in Lumberton. Guardian reporter Oliver Laughland has some background on what’s at stake in Lumberton, where rains could cause a dump containing mercury, arsenic and lead to overflow into the water supply:

A work truck drives on Highway 24 as the wind from Hurricane Florence blows palm trees in Swansboro, North Carolina Photograph: Tom Copeland/AP

Residents wade through deep floodwater to retrieve belongings from the Trent Court public housing apartments after the Neuse River went over its banks during Hurricane Florence Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Residents try to prepare for more floodwaters at the Trent Court public housing apartments after the Neuse River went over its banks Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A firefighter tapes off a street due to a downed power line as Hurricane Florence comes ashore in Wilmington, North Carolina Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters

A man rides his bike around the waterfront docks before Hurricane Florence comes ashore in Washington, North Carolina Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters

Power outages for 80,000

More than 80,000 customers are without power in North Carolina, according to the major electric utilities in the state. Duke Energy estimated that 1m to 3m of its 4m customers in the Carolinas could lose power due to Florence, the AP reports.

There are now more than 12,000 people in 126 shelters in North Carolina, according to governor Roy Cooper. He said the demand is expected to increase and the state is in the process of opening more shelters.

Cooper has also requested a presidential disaster declaration to expedite the process of receiving federal aid for recovery and cleanup:

The added disaster declaration would go beyond the federal action already in effect, which is already providing Federal Emergency Management Agency funds and assistance as we prepare for the hurricane. The additional declaration would provide federal help with debris removal as well as FEMA search and rescue teams, disaster medical teams, hazardous material clean up assistance, meals, generators, fuel and more.